Mills were crucial elements to the development of early American communities. These early industrial facilities permitted the transfer of simple materials into usable goods. The mill was at the heart of a complex system of supply and demand.
The Hanford Mill is part of many networks. Processing timber and grain, the mill provided both finished goods and and refined materials for later use outside of the business. The local importance of the mill radiated to the surrounding community, allowing lumber for construction and usable grain for local agriculture feed. The initial source of power for the mill is the East Branch of the Delaware River, and its linear expanse reflects the further reaching impact Hanford Mills, and others, had on the development of the North East.
The importance of the waterway is much greater than its ability to supply power: it is also the medium of transportation. Mills along the Delaware river produced lumber for industry further down river in Pennsylvania, as well as locally.
By exploring the relationship of the river to the mill, a greater understanding of the diverse networks that form the surrounding community can be found. My initial investigation is based in tracing the two branches that create the Delaware river: the East and West. Then charting the the developments along these an index of typologies can be created as the river flows south, then back east to empty in the Atlantic. The initial efforts can be found on Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=202027456872395097221.0004c8fd5d8c8048ba6ba&msa=0
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